Cruel one-point defeat to Kerry relegates Kildare to Division 2

Kildare were relegated in the final round of the Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1 following their narrow to defeat to Kerry. As a result, The Lilies will play their football in Division 2 next year.

There were moving parts for this Division 1 closer but the task was simple for these sides, it was ‘winner stays up’ with a draw better for the visitors who took victory on the day.

Aoife Rattigan, as she has all season, was the player who was ready to stand up and be counted with everything on the line. The Cappagh forward was ready to do so instantly too and got the game’s first three scores.

Rattigan converted a free won by Aoife Murnane and another following a kick-out infringement before Mayah Doyle recycled possession back out to her to fire over from range. The Lilies were smothering Kerry early on but were breached in the 10th minute during a blistering Kerry attack.

The Kingdom moved the ball sharply through the hands and ended the sequence from Roisin Rahilly to Danielle O’Leary who beat her marker and the goalkeeper before finding the net.

Kerry took the lead for the first time when O’Leary added a point and the visitors led by two at the mid-point of the first half when Eabha Ní Laighin added another. 

The Lilies surged from two down to three up in an incredible two-minute sequence. Molly Aspell struck a lovely point to close the gap before Mayah Doyle set up Rattigan for the second time.

Kildare were suddenly three clear when Aoife Rattigan fetched Ciara Butler’s resulting kick-out and beautifully lobbed the Kerry stopper to put the girls in white 1-5 to 1-2 ahead just before the 20-minute mark.

Two Síofra O’Shea frees closed the gap to a single point for Kerry with five to go in the first half. The second of which saw Laoise Lenehan sin-binned for the fouling offence.

Aoife Rattigan tapped over from close-range following a Kerry 3v3 breach which was brought back when Rattigan was all but through on goal. The Lilies took their point regardless to move two clear again.

Kerry then threatened the Kildare goal again when Leah McMahon went tearing through. The Dr Crokes forward drilled the ball goalwards but her effort was superbly tipped over by Rachel Fennin who had a stellar game between the Kildare sticks.

The Lilies scored last in the first half following an all Wheeler attack with Gillian finding Ciara who fired over off her left foot. The late Wheeler combination left Kildare with a 1-7 to 1-5 advantage at the break with the wind in their faces after the restart.

Half-time substitute Mary O’Connell made an instant impact after half-time to narrow the gap and, with Kildare still down to 14, Kerry levelled through Síofra O’Shea.

Kildare, now back to their full contingent, edged back ahead with a free from Aoife Rattigan which was brought forward for delaying the restart. Síofra O’Shea, who was in fine form in this game, levelled things at 1-8 apiece with a lovely curled effort.

Kerry centre-forward Niamh Ní Chonchúir got her first of the game to put Kerry back ahead.

The Lilies were second best in the second half to that point but a moment of magic shot them ahead. Alannah Prizeman received possession with her back to goal and spun sharply to create space. The Naas forward let fly off her left and found the top right corner with a stunning finish.

Four minutes later, Kerry raised a green flag of their own to restore their one-point lead and wipe out Prizeman’s stunner. Danielle O’Leary was brilliantly denied by Rachel Fennin but the bouncing ball came back up to O’Leary to rise highest and slap into the net.

The game entered the final 10 minutes with Kerry holding a 2-9 to 2-8 lead.

All looked lost for The Lilies when Síofra O’Shea stood over a penalty after Laoise Lenehan’s hand in on Aishling O’Connell was judged to have been a foul. O’Shea was expertly denied by Rachel Fennin with a super save low to her left.

Kerry did go two clear when Rachel Dwyer made a difference from the bench to give The Kingdom a healthier buffer.

Aoife Rattigan nailed a crucial free with three minutes to go to get Kildare within one but that was as close as they got with time against them.

The hooter sounded to drop Kildare into Division 2 in one of the cruelest relegations this reporter has seen to date. The Lilies were highly competitive in every game and should have beaten table-toppers Cork on the opening. They dropped to Division 2 with a 2-10 to 2-9 defeat to Kerry on the final day.

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Kerry, Danielle O'Leary 2-1, Síofra O'Shea 0-4 (0-2 fs), Eabha Ní Laighin 0-1, Leah McMahon 0-1, Mary O'Connell 0-1, Niamh Ní Chonchúir 0-1, Rachel Dwyer 0-1.

Kildare, Aoife Rattigan 1-7 (0-5 fs), Alannah Prizeman 1-0, Molly Aspell 0-1, Ciara Wheeler 0-1.

KERRY: Ciara Butler; Eilis Lynch, Deirdre Kearney, Roisin Rahilly; Eabha Ní Laighin, Aoife Dillane, Aishling O'Connell; Niamh Carmody, Anna Galvin; Kelly Enright, Niamh Ní Chonchúir, Caoimhe Evans; Síofra O'Shea, Danielle O'Leary, Leah McMahon. Subs: Mary O'Connell for Kelly Enright (Half-time), Aisling Irhue for Lisa Shaw (47 minutes), Jadyn Lucey for Niamh Ní Chonchúir (49 minutes), Mikala Mulvihill for Caoimhe Evan (49 minutes), Rachel Dwyer for Niamh Carmody (52 minutes).

KILDARE: Rachel Fenin; Aine Mernagh, Ruth Sargent Mia Doherty; Hazel McLoughlin, Laoise Lenehan, Molly Aspell; Jessica Harney, Gillian Wheeler; Lisa Shaw, Ciara Wheeler, Aoife Rattigan; Aoife Murnane, Mayah Doyle, Alannah Prizeman. Subs: Roisin Forde for Jessica Harney (15 minutes), Lara Curran for Mayah Doyle (43 minutes), Ruth Dillon for Aoife Murnane (54 minutes), Amy Mahon for Mia Doherty (54 minutes).

Referee: Paul McCaughey (Westmeath)